54 JEPHTHAH.
JARED [aszde].
She is most gracious : I must speak and save.
[Aloud.] Friends! [Aszde.] Stay—Is this a tempter
voice that soothes
My conscience? Art thou that Leviathan,
Thou lipless monster, gnashing at my soul
Abominable teeth? Art thou the fiend
WhomI have seen in sleep, and waking served?
O horrible distortion of all truth
That I must serve thee still. Thy word’s a lie,
That if I keep my silence, I do good
To her, the milk-white virgin sacrifice,
And only smite the bloody father down!
A lie, Isay! A lie! Yet—dare I speak,
Those eyes upon me, torturing my soul
And threatening revenge? His fingers gross,
Purple, and horrible, to blister me
With infamous tearing at my throat. O Hell!
Vomit thy monsters forth in myriads
To putrefy this fair green earth with blood,
But make not me the devilish minister
Of such a deed as this! No respite ?—-Must?
Irrevocable? I dare not call on God.
Thou, thou wilt serve me if I do this thing?
Oh, if this be a snare thou settest now,
Who hast once already mocked our pact, I swear
By God, I cast thee off. Leviathan!
Accept the bargain. And I seal it—thus.
[Writing in the air